On June 11, elements of the 2nd IB arrested Vicente Colomna and on June 25, Ronnie Ursal, Manlik Espinosa, and Melicio Malaras. They filed trumped-up charges of rebellion against the four. All four are civilians and residents of the towns of Pio V. Corpus and Esperanza, Masbate. Three of them have been temporarily released while one (Colomna) remains detained in the town of Cataingan.
Similar to the hamletting carried out by the AFP last month in Masbate City, Baleno, and Uson, residents of the barangays of Buenasuerte, San Antonio, San Isidro, Salvacion, San Carlos, Maanahao, Matugnao, and Biga-a in the town of Palanas, as well as Barangay Cabrera in the town of Dimasalang, also experienced harassment, mobility restrictions, and disruption of livelihood under the guise of the Modified Community Support Sustainment Program (MCSSP).
The MCSSP aims, allegedly, to prevent the return of the revolutionary movement in barangays that the AFP declared as “cleared” by delivering public services in partnership with the local government. But like other “support programs” under past regimes’ various “oplans”, the MCSSP merely functions as a program of harassment and surveillance disguised as service delivery.
The 2nd IB’s relentless combat operations continue to scour the barangays of Parina, Malibas, Miabas, Mabini, Intusan, and Antipolo in the town of Palanas, as well as the barangays of Maanahao, Cadulawan, and Tuybo in Cataingan.
Meanwhile, focused military operations (FMO) took place in the barangays of the towns of Mobo, Milagros, and Uson to ensure the continued construction of roads leading to the mountains in preparation for the launch of Filminera-Masbate Gold Project operations.
Barangay officials and residents have already lodged complaints and requested help from mayors in their respective municipalities to expel the military from their villages. Residents said the military’s presence in their barangays severely obstructs their farm work and daily livelihood. This poses a serious problem for the residents, since many of them pay weekly installments or are servicing debts.
The New People’s Army–Masbate (Jose Rapsing Command) calls on the people of Masbate to expose, resist, and hold the military accountable for their mounting crimes. Above all, they must demand accountability from the Marcos regime for imposing martial law in the countryside that tramples on the rights, livelihoods, peace, and safety of the Masbate people.
